Research

The drill (Mandrillus leucophaeus) is a large semi-terrestrial primate from the family Cercopithecidae (Old-world monkeys). This species is found only in the coastal tropics of the Gulf of Guinea; endemic to SE Nigeria, SW Cameroon, and Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea. As the largest potential predator on Bioko Island this species holds particular ecologic importance to its environment. Few direct studies concerning the ecology of drills, particularly on the Bioko Island subspecies (M. l. poensis) have been completed, leaving much unknown. Due to its high endangered species rank, now is the time to learn as much as possible about drill ecology in order to aid in management efforts.

I intend to focus my research on various aspects of the life of this amazing animal. In completing my PhD I hope to answer questions pertaining to drill daily and seasonal movements, resource requirements and acquisition, and what measures they have taken to cope with the extremely high seasonal rainfalls (~11m per year) found on areas of Bioko Island. I plan on utilizing the latest field techniques, including GIS, camera traps, fecal sample analysis, and GPS telemetry, as well as looking into the historical dataset collected by the BBPP in the last 19 years. The ultimate goal of this project is to assist in aiming management actions based on the implications of the results.